Car Court

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RE: scratch repair myths..

Posted by mashley on April 14, 2012 at 08:08:15:
Depends how deeps the scratch is?
If its shallow you can sometimes buff it out or use some scratch-x type remover, in effect what you are doing is removing the area around the scratch down to the level of the scratch, therefore in time you will wear through the finish.

I have repaired a scratch on my car that was down to the metal, inflicted by my trash collector with the trash can.
I do have a lot of tools as I'm a re-finisher. I used an aerosol and sprayed over the scratch with what must have been twenty or so coats (don't mask or you will have the biggest problem buffing the lines/edges level) spraying a fresh coat every three minute or so, then I let it dry for a few hours in the sun.
Started by using 1500 grit wet sandpaper on a random orbit air sander mounted to a 1/2" foam softpad, sanded very gently for about thirty minutes, stopping and checking regularly until I was just starting to break through the "sprayed on" paint, then I went even slower until I removed all but the paint that was (lower) inside the scratch, now all the area where I had sanded on my car was dull/flat looking which was my clearcoat now matte finish-ed.
Then on to the 3000 grit sandpaper which is so fine that it polishes it to a flattish shine, then through three different stages of buffing paste on a foam pad.
The final paste is so fine the clearcoat jumps out at you with a brilliant shine. The scratch is completely gone, filled and at the same level as everything else.
Six inch scratch ook me about thirty minutes with the sanding buffing part, luckily the trash guys didn't dent the panel at all.
The one caveat is that If you are too aggressive or manage to go through your clearcoat however slightly, then you are screwed.
Although I guess you could spray some clear on and just buff the edges to blend in, but it would have to be automotive paint this time.